


The Price of Sacrifice

by TechnicallyCorrect



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms, The Legend of Zelda: The Ocarina of Time
Genre: Blood, Blood and Violence, F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Imprisonment, Magic, Rape, Sexual Violence, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-21
Updated: 2021-02-25
Packaged: 2021-03-13 08:20:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 2
Words: 16,552
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28900284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TechnicallyCorrect/pseuds/TechnicallyCorrect
Summary: When the Hylian Palace is invaded Princess Zelda is taken prisoner by the Demon King, who, after years of obsession and resentment, desires more then simply her Triforce. Isolated and tortured, Zelda learns just how much she will have to sacrifice to keep her people safe and discovers exactly what price she will have to pay to protect her piece of the Triforce. But when all hope is lost, an unlikely ally may be her only salvation.(Loosely based on Ocarina of Time)
Relationships: Zelda/Nabooru
Comments: 3
Kudos: 7





	1. Invasion

The darkness swirled around the palace like ink in water. Closer and closer it moved in, staining the walls and seeping in through the windows, surrounding and blinding the people inside. A swarm of figures in dark suits of armour carrying long spears and swords burst through the palace doors, killing anyone they discovered inside. Towering above it all, surrounded by dark storm clouds, a demon made of pure fire roared in fury. It was an animal-like monster with long tusks and a blunt snout, and where its clawed fists smashed down on the earth huge cracks were left behind.  
Zelda tried to run to her people. She had to save them, to do something, but she couldn't move. That same darkness that surrounded the palace snaked around her wrists and ankles chaining her to the ground. She cried out trying to reach them, but all it did was draw the attention of the fiery beast. Its eyes burned into hers and she could do nothing but scream as it raked a razor-sharp claw down her cheek. The beast laughed, sounding almost human.   
“ _Surrender, Princess, you are mine,_ ” it snarled.  
_No, no!_ She tried to speak, but could only scream. All words escaped her, all rational thought fled her mind, that one word repeating over and over again. _No!_  
Laughing at her screams, the demon brought its snout mere inches away from her face, and Zelda felt its hot rancid breath. It ran its burning tongue up her neck and tears sprang to her eyes as she realised she was trapped. _Oh Goddess Hylia, please help us. I can’t escape, I can't save them!_  
A blinding light burst through the sky, forcing the demon’s penetrating gaze away from her. It was a figure clad in green, riding a galloping horse, and in their hand was a sword pointed to the sky. From the sword a white blade of light cut through the air.   
Consumed with rage, the beast forgot Zelda, turning to the figure in green. Its roar was deafening, but the rider didn't falter. Sword pointed directly at the demon, they charged letting out a battle cry of their own.  
_They're not going to make it,_ Zelda realised in horror. _Goddess please, that monster is going to kill them!_  
With a crash the rider and demon met, light flashed, Zelda screamed-  
-and sat up in bed, heart racing and throat raw. It took several long moments before she realised it had been a dream, and she grabbed at her wrists looking for the ropes of darkness that had bound her. But of course they were bare, exactly as they should have been. Lying back down, Zelda tried to slow her racing heart and steady her breathing. This nightmare had been plaguing her for several weeks now, but this time had felt more real than ever before. She told herself yet again that it was just a dream, but she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that threatened to consume her. Her eyes darted around her bed chambers, but all was as it should be, illuminated by the dull glow of the moon: the desk, the book shelves, the sofa and table, the books stacked up on her nightstand. Nothing was out of place.  
Sighing, Zelda ran her hands over her face. Despite the fact that she was probably being completely foolish, she climbed out of bed, seeking comfort. Perhaps she could find Impa and talk about it. She hadn’t mentioned these dreams to anyone, not her mentor or even her father, convincing herself that it was nothing, a problem she should be able to handle on her own. She had recently turned twenty-three after all; she was an adult, not a child anymore. At first, Zelda had treated them as a standard nightmare and paid them little attention. But as the weeks wore on and the dreams had grown in intensity she had been determined to figure out their meaning alone. However, after not managing to find anything and coupled with the surety that they were only getting worse, she decided right then that to ignore the help of others would be plain irresponsible. Impa had knowledge of the Sheikah tribe’s magic, which might provide the answer Zelda needed, but she was also not afraid to tell the Zelda when she was being an idiot, despite her status as a princess. Perhaps being told to get over it was what Zelda needed to do just that. And if nothing else, a walk through the halls might settle her nerves.   
All was silent in the palace. Despite being her home, as familiar to her as her own body, tonight it felt strange and alien. The same silver glow that had softly bathed her rooms in light felt almost eerie in the long empty corridors, doing nothing to help the growing sense of unease Zelda felt. There was a unseasonable chill in the air that cut her to the skin, and she wished she had stopped to put on a robe. The thin night gown of white silk she wore did little and she rubbed her arms as she walked. There was nothing but the sound of her own breathing which seemed too ragged to her ears.  
Something was wrong. She had thought it was just her imagination, but the further she walked the more dread churned in her stomach. It may have been the middle of the night, but the palace never truly slept: there were always at least a couple of servants running around, and guards patrolled every hall routinely. Not to mention the courtiers and nobles who liked to meet, drink and dance all night, sometimes planned but often in secret. Gossip and affairs were fairly common Zelda had come to realise the older she got, but she tended to say out of it. As the crown princess she had to be seen to be above it all, to be untouchable and un-compromised, or there would be a line of people waiting to tear her down. She did it of course, and with a smile on her face, claiming to have no desire to lower herself to such trivial matters. But she would be lying if she said she wasn't lonely at times.  
As she walked past a large window she paused. Something had caught her attention out of the corner of her eye, something glinting through the thick glass. The sense of dread she had been carrying swelled up inside her and she knew in a way she couldn’t explain that if she turned to look she would see something terrible. Time seemed to slow as she moved, heartbeat pounding in her ears. With a trembling hand she reached out and opened the window.  
Fire. From across the palace, Zelda saw a mass of smoke and flames engulfing the side of a tower, so thick she couldn’t make out the brick work. She gasped and covered her mouth with her hands. How could this have happened? And why hadn’t any sort of alarm been raised? She couldn’t even see if anyone was trying to put out the flames. There was something moving over there, but she couldn’t tell who or even what it was. It seemed to be vaguely human shaped, but was too tall, too broad. She backed away from the window in shock, turning towards the door at the end of the hall. She needed to move, to get down there and help-  
A hand lashed out of the darkness and grabbed her by the throat. She screamed in shock and pain, clawing at the thick fingers that now cut off her air, but they were covered by leather gloves her nails couldn’t break through. The hand lifted her up, feet off the ground. She kicked and struggled but her vision soon began to fade at the edges.  
“Hello, Princess. I’ve been searching for you,” said a deep voice in her ear.  
It felt like her blood had frozen in her veins as she recognised who the voice belonged to: Ganondorf, the Demon King, leader of the Gerudo tribe, and self proclaimed enemy of Hyrule.  
True panic seized her and she tried desperately to escape his grasp. How could he be here, in the middle of the night, mere feet away from her own bed chambers? Where were the guards, where was Impa? Oh sweet Goddess- where was her father?  
Just before black spots completely took over her vision, Zelda felt Ganondorf slap something cold onto her left wrist then drop her to the ground, moving to stand in front of her. She landed on her hands and knees hard, holding her throat as she choked and gasped for air. Shakily, she grabbed her wrist trying to figure out what he had put on her. It was some sort of metal cuff, copper with strange symbols carved into it. Frantically, she tried to pull it off but it didn’t move an inch, even when she tried to dig her fingers underneath. Slowly, she raised her head to look up at the man who had attacked her.   
In the dim light she could only just make out his features, but the smirk he wore was clear enough. His imposing frame loomed over her: a man around thirty years old, he stood well over six foot tall, built from seemingly solid muscle, covered in black plated armour. A spiked, golden crown held back his thick copper hair from his face as it fell to his mid back. The crown also held a ruby in the centre of his forehead, the bright colour shining in contrast to his dark skin. It ended just above his thick eyebrows, which served to make his already heavy brow seem all the more severe. His nose was also rather large and slightly hawkish, as was usual for the Gerudo people. His thick lips were framed by a close cropped beard of copper that run along his square jaw and chin. But it was his eyes that stood out the most: pale gold that seemed to almost glow with power in the darkness of the hallway. Zelda knew the man, had met him a couple of years ago when he had come to the palace to meet with her father and discuss politics, had even spoken to him directly more than once, but never had she seen him like this. Kneeling at his feet only served to emphasise how much the man towered above her.  
Leaning down, he took her chin, tilting her face up and grinned showing his sharp white teeth. Something wet was smeared onto her skin and the sharp tang of metal struck her nose. Zelda’s terror was like a physical blow. Blood. His hands were covered in blood. Flinging herself away from him, she instinctively reached for her magic, desperate to fight back before it was too late. But as she reached out with her mind to that beacon of power within herself she felt like she had run straight into a wall. With a sharp hiss, she held her head as it filled with a sudden throbbing pain that only stopped when she ceased trying to reach for her power, leaving nothing but a dull ache behind. The warm light that normally filled her with holy radiance was cut off from her entirely. The cuff he’d put on her must be blocking her from her power, she realised, eyes snapping back to it.  
“W-what have you done to me?” Her voice was rasping and weak, and she couldn't tear her eyes from her wrist. “How…how did you get here? What did you do?!”  
Grabbing her by her braided hair, Ganondorf forced her to face him again, that disturbing grin still twisting his mouth.  
“I’m here to tell you the good news in person, Princess: my army has stormed the castle and seized control. Your guards are dead, your people are in chains, and now I control Hyrule.”  
“No...” Zelda could only whisper when she wanted to scream. It had to be another nightmare, it couldn’t be real. But the twisting pain of his fingers against her scalp and the bruises she could feel already forming at her throat and the blood drying on her face were far too real.   
“What have you done to my father, to my mentor? Where are they?”  
After a long second, where images of her family dead flickered through her mind and threatened to break her sanity, Ganondorf answered.  
“Fear not, the Hylian King lives, for now. He is still far more useful to me alive. He’s in the dungeons, under the care of my best warrior. As for that Sheikah woman…”  
He trailed off, and a scornful frown crossed his face. Zelda felt herself go pale in fear, before he met her eyes and smirked.  
“She ran, Princess. Saw which was the wind was turning, and instead of fighting to her end with honour, she fled like a coward. She _abandoned_ you,” he sneered, seeming almost gleeful.  
Zelda could only shake her head, refusing to believe it. It couldn’t be true, he was just trying to hurt her, to scare her. But…  
_But where is she? She would have fought him, and if she had won he wouldn't be here. And if she had been killed he would have thrown her death in my face. So why isn’t she here?_  
She closed her eyes, fighting the overwhelming urge to cry and tried to silence that little voice of doubt in her head.   
Fist still in her hair, Ganondorf dragged her to her feet before finally letting her go. She gritted her teeth and hissed in pain, stumbling a few steps backwards when she found herself suddenly free. Even standing he towered over her, as the top of Zelda’s head barely reached his jaw. Feeling tiny and weak, she shivered as she was reminded she wore nothing but a thin silk gown. She had nothing: no weapons, no armour. She might as well be standing before Ganondorf naked. This thought made her even more self conscious and she crossed her arms over her chest in a vain attempt to cover herself. But when she looked up at him, she realised in horror that he wasn't looking at her face. In trying to cover herself, all she seemed to have done was draw attention the gown’s low cut and tight fit. Normally, she wouldn't ever leave her bed chambers in anything less than a proper dress, with a corset underneath, ankle length skirts and long gloves. But now…She glanced at the man before her and shuddered as she saw the unmasked lust in his gaze.  
“What do you want from me?” Zelda asked, desperate to get his eyes off her body. It worked, as Ganondorf finally looked up at her face, and his lips twisted into a nasty smile she knew couldn't mean anything good. “Just tell me already!”  
“Oh, you don’t get to make demands of me, Princess. You are my prisoner now, and I control your fate.”  
As he spoke he walked towards her, slowly closing the distance between them. Zelda stumbled backwards shakily, frantic to keep away but not daring to turn her back on him. But all too soon she hit the wall, and she had no-where to run. Ganondorf didn’t stop until they were practically touching. Her heart thudded painfully and all she could think was that he was too close, far too close.  
“I could kill you, Princess. Right here, right now, before you even realised what had happened.” As he said this he put a hand around her neck, fingers gently running up her throat to under her jaw, where he could feel the drumming of her pulse. “I hold your fragile little life in my hands. I would be lying if I said I hadn’t been sorely tempted to end it all now. Unfortunately for me, you are also far more useful alive. But unfortunately for you, there is quite a difference between ‘alive’ and ‘unharmed’.”  
Terror had stolen her voice, and Zelda could do nothing but breathe whilst she waited for this man with his hand around her throat to decide if he wanted to crush the life out of her or not. There was nothing she could do to stop him if he chose to give in to his desires. Ganondorf took a long moment staring at her throat, then slowly ran his gaze down her body, then back to her face. His grip on her neck was still loose, and he placed his other hand on her waist. A warning rang out in Zelda’s mind. _Too close, much too close!_  
“But I can be…merciful. If you give me what I want I will let you live out the rest of your life in comfort instead of chains.”   
Struggling to keep her voice steady, Zelda asked, “And what, exactly, do you want from me?”  
Moving even closer and bending down toward her, Ganondorf ran his hand from her throat to the back of her head forcing her face towards his. His other hand had moved around her waist to her lower back, pulling her hips against his. Zelda was pinned to him, his metal armour cold and sharp against her skin.   
“I want you, Princess,” he whispered, his lips nearly touching hers.   
Zelda’s mouth went dry with horror.   
“W-what?” She rasped, trying to push him off her and praying she had misunderstood him.  
“You are a beautiful woman, Princess, I’ve always thought so. From the first moment we met I’ve desired to rip those stuffy Hylian dresses off you, to touch you, taste you. I want to hear you scream, to hear you cry out my name. So I make you this offer: be mine, and I will give you a life of pleasure instead of a prison.”  
_Dear Goddess, he’s serious!_ She realised as he finally met her eyes, and a shocked gasp escaped her lips. He gave her a smug smile, seeming to believe that noise had meant something other than pure horror. He pulled her tighter against his body, and slowly brought his lips towards hers.  
A flash of white hot rage burned through Zelda. Was this man delusional, or did his arrogance truly know no bounds? Did he honestly expect her to go to bed with him after he invaded her home, imprisoned her father and killed her people? She turned away before he could kiss her, and resisted the urge to spit in his face, but anger moved her tongue before she could stop it.  
“Take your hands off me,” she hissed at him. “I’d rather throw myself from the top of Death Mountain than let you touch me.”  
He dropped her instantly and took a step back; the sheer venom in her voice must have shocked him. His expression went blank as he stared at her for a second, then a furious rage twisted his features. Ganondorf grabbed her by the shoulders, fingers like crushing iron bars. Shaking her roughly he snarled in her face.  
“You little bitch! Don’t you understand you are my prisoner now. I am your king: I _own_ you! And I can use you anyway I like.”  
Zelda slammed her fist up with all the strength she possessed, hitting the underside of his jaw. Ganondorf’s head snapped back and he lurched away from her, letting out a pained grunt of surprise. She barely saw this as she was already running, heading towards the door at the other end of the corridor. Out there would be other people, be they Hylian or Gerudo, and any sort of audience would stop him from being able to ‘use’ her. Zelda was no fool, she knew exactly what he had meant by that comment. Surprise had been her only advantage, she knew, and terror fuelled her as she ran. She couldn't let him catch her, because if he did, if he planned to ‘use’ her even when she had said no, Zelda knew it was a fight she couldn't ever win. And she truly would rather die.  
The smooth cool metal of the golden door handles brushed against Zelda’s fingertips before she felt a fist grab her braid and yank her backwards. She let out a scream of frustration and terror as her freedom slipped from her grasp. It had been so close! But now, now…  
Now Ganondorf was angry, denied and insulted. Zelda knew in her heart that her one chance of escape was gone forever.   
He dragged her back, not letting go of her hair as he brought her to look at him again, then backhanded her across the face. She gasped as white light burst behind her eyes and her lower lip split open. For a moment she went completely limp, loosing a second or two of consciousness. When she opened her eyes she saw Ganondorf’s face was a twisted mask of fury.   
“You will regret that, Princess, I promise you! Lucky for you I want to keep your pretty face in one piece, for now. I'll give you this one chance to apologise, to beg my forgiveness. I know this is probably new to you, but I can be gentle. Ask nicely and I will be.”  
Her own rage still burned inside her. It wouldn't make a difference: she had already said no and he’d ignored it. Fighting back was all her dignity would let her do now, and for him to give her this illusion of choice was just insulting. So she gave into her earlier desire and spat in his face. Ganondorf flinched as the mixture of her saliva and blood hit him square in the cheek, but he didn't let her go. Wiping his face, he gave her a dark look that sent a shot of terror down her spine.  
“So be it,” he growled at her, then picked her up and threw her over his shoulder.   
The metal of his pauldron slammed into her stomach, knocking the breath out of her. She thrashed about desperately, trying to kick him, but she could barely move as he clamped her knees together, her feet unable to reach anything but the armour covering his ribs. Beating her fists against his back did nothing either, he was completely protected by the metal plates.  
“Put me down!” Zelda commanded in a terrified shriek, but he ignored her, walking deeper into the palace. “Let me go, right now!”  
She heard a loud crash and realised he had kicked open the doors to her bed chambers. He threw her off his shoulder and she landed onto the bed hard. She was free but before she could move he was on top of her, pinning her down, crushing her. Zelda tried to push him off but he was too big, too heavy, then his mouth was on hers, tongue forced between her lips, and she couldn't scream, couldn't breathe. Unable to move any of her limbs, she bit down hard on the tongue invading her mouth, then at last he was gone. Zelda gasped for air, tasting his blood.  
Ganondorf hit her across the face again, and the world went sideways. Dizziness nearly overwhelmed her and she couldn't see straight. But he was finally off her, so Zelda scrambled to her feet, staggering for the window at the other side of the room. She wrenched it open then stared into the empty night. Her room was in one of the highest levels of the place, a tower that had been used as personal chambers for the royal family for generations. The drop below her seemed to stretch endlessly as the darkness masked the ground far, far below. She had said earlier she would rather throw herself to her death than sleep with Ganondorf, but when actually faced with the notion of a falling into the dark and her body shattering painfully on the solid marble of the palace grounds below, Zelda froze.   
“H-help me!” She shouted instead. “Somebody please, help! Help me!”  
The cutting cold of the night wind was the only response she got.  
"You can't escape, Princess," came Ganondorf's smug voice from behind her. To Zelda's horror as she turned she saw his armour was gone, scattered across the floor, leaving him in only a black shirt and a pair of tight fitting trousers. Even his crown was gone, carelessly tossed aside, freeing his wild mane of hair. He walked towards her almost leisurely as he undressed, blocking her from the door. "I've been planning this invasion for months, and taking out your soldiers was my first priority. No-one is coming to save you: they’re all dead.”  
He had almost reached her, eyes running over her again in that sickening lustful way. By now all he was wearing was a pair of black trousers that hung low on his hips. He somehow managed to be even more intimidating without his armour: she could see exactly how muscled he really was. His chest was solid, covered in copper hair and more than a few pale scars, and his arms were thick with muscles, giving Zelda the impression he could snap her in half without even trying. She shuddered again, both from his gaze and the chill night air. His eyes stopped on her chest and he made a noise close to a growl as he stared, making Zelda’s face burn as she tried to cover herself.  
“I'll admit Princess, you surprised me when I found you walking around out there. I had planned to take you in your bed, before you even knew what was happening." Eyes finally leaving her body and meeting hers directly, Ganondorf gave her a evil smile. "But it doesn't really matter where I _take_ you."  
The meaning of his words sent a fresh jolt of terror through her blood and she span back to the open window. There was no more time: this was her only escape now. She chose death. As she scrambled onto the windowsill, ready to jump, his hands seized her waist and dragged her inside  
“Get back here, you little bitch!”  
“No, no! Let me go!”  
“You’re not going anywhere! You’ll die when I say so, and not a moment before I’ve had a chance to enjoy you.”  
Zelda tried to free herself from his grasp but it was pointless. She lashed out in a blind panic, fists striking flesh and feet hard, but Ganondorf hardly seemed to feel it. Spinning her to face him once more, he grabbed both of her wrists, pinning them above her head against the wall until all she could do was writhe hopelessly. His body was pressed hard against hers, imprisoning her completely. His bare skin felt burning hot even through the thin silk of her dress, and he was so strong all he needed was one hand to lock her wrists to the wall. His grip was painful and unwavering as she struggled, hands quickly going numb. He leered down at her, running his other hand slowly up her thigh, over her hip and ribs, stopping on her breast where he squeezed hard and let out a low, almost hungry noise from his throat. Zelda shuddered and closed her eyes.   
_This can't be real, it can't be. Wake up, damn it, wake up!_  
Grabbing the low neckline of her gown, Ganondorf yanked hard, tearing the thin straps in one quick movement. The material fell from her body, pooling at her feet as Zelda cried out, trying in vain to throw him off her once more.  
"Beautiful," he growled at her, running his fingers down her neck and onto her now bare breast. Zelda couldn't hold back a whimper. "Princess, you are even more beautiful than I imagined. I was right: I am going to enjoy you _very_ much.”  
His touch became rough as he squeezed her breast again, pinching her nipple hard and making her moan in pain, before lowering his hand over her stomach and through the blonde curls at the junction of her thighs.  
"No!" She cried out as he pushed his hand between her legs and forced a finger inside her.   
She buckled under his touch, the fear and shame overwhelming. Tears fell from her eyes and she couldn't face her attacker as he violated her. Zelda want to vomit as she felt all her private fantasies about her first time being brutally stripped away. His hands were rough, calloused, and he thrust his fingers inside her hard and fast, enjoying her pain and humiliation.   
_This_ is _real, oh Goddess help me, please help me!_  
"S-stop," she moaned, voice thick with tears. “Please stop!”  
Ganondorf only laughed at her. "Just relax Princess, and you'll enjoy it. You've been so guarded you don't even know what you've been missing. I can make you feel things that will leave you screaming for more. And I so want to hear you scream."  
His body was still pressed against hers, solid and immovable as a rock. She shuddered as she realised she could feel his erection digging into her hip, hard and thick. She may have been a virgin, but she was no fool: she knew exactly what happened when two people made love. It was supposed to be meaningful, pleasurable, a way to say 'I love you' without words. But with his body pinning her against the wall, his hands invading her and that part of him pressed against her hip she knew all she would experience was pain.  
She shook her head, unable to stop trembling. "Please, please stop!”  
“Now, Princess,” he said, running his lips up her neck to her ear. “Begging really doesn't become you. But I do enjoy hearing it.”  
A whimper escaped her, making him groan and thrust his fingers deeper. She cried out at the pain, flinching in a way made her back arch and breasts press into Ganondorf’s chest. He growled that almost hungry noise again, right in her ear, then suddenly his hand was gone. There was a second of relief before Zelda realised what was happening: he had only stopped to take his trousers off. Terror renewed, she flailed against his grip but he just wrenched her wrists higher, until it felt as though her arms would dislocate from her shoulders. In mere moments she felt him, all of him, pressing into her body, skin to skin. His free hand cupped her buttocks, thrusting his shaft into her thigh as he tried to push between her legs.  
“No, no! Please, let me go, _please_. I'll do a-anything!"  
He held her there, breathing hard, for a long moment. Then, to her surprise, Ganondorf pulled his face back from her neck and looked at her. The raw lust in his eyes made her knees feel weak, and he seemed to be fighting his desire just to listen to her. She shuddered and had to turn away.  
"Anything, Princess?" He repeated in a rough voice, practically panting. "Very well, hand over your piece of the Triforce and I'll let you go."  
Eyes widening in shock, she snapped her head back up and stared at him. She should have known this is what he would say: it was hardly a secret that he coveted the entire Triforce, owning one piece of it already. He had Power, she had Wisdom, but no-one knew what had happened to Courage. It was out there somewhere, of course, but neither the Hylians or the Gerudo people had heard even a whisper about its possible location. Ganondorf would be hunting it of course, but why start with the impossible when he knew exactly where to find the other piece?  
If Ganondorf got a hold of the Triforce of Wisdom, even without the final piece, he would be truly unstoppable. He was still only a man, but the Triforce was a piece of power from the Goddesses themselves. If she gave it up, she would doom the whole world to his blood-lust. But if she didn't...  
_He's going to rape you. He's not going to stop. This may be your only escape._  
But could she trust that he would actually let her go? Would he really just lose all desire for her once she gave into him? After everything that he had already done to her she couldn't believe that. What was to stop him from taking her Triforce then raping her anyway?   
_Nothing. There’s nothing that can stop him._  
A crazy idea suddenly occurred to her. It likely wouldn't work, but her choices were severely limited at this point. Swallowing hard Zelda looked up at him. Another tear escaped running down her cheek, and she had to force herself to hold his piercing stare.  
"I-I’ll do it," she whispered shakily. "Let me go, and I'll give it to you."  
The look of shock on Ganondorf's face would have been comical in any other situation. For a moment he just stared at her, seeming to be waiting for her to take her words back. She thought about what it would feel like to be forced by him, and let that terror show clear on her face. More tears ran down her cheeks and her breath was coming out in almost sobbing-like heaves.   
_Please, please, believe me. Take the bait and let me go!_  
Slowly, he released her wrists and took a step away. Zelda felt like she could finally breathe again and quickly tried to cover herself, hunching over and crossing her painfully throbbing arms over her chest. Keeping her eyes on him, and fixedly not the looking at the door behind him, she carefully moved away from the wall. He was too close to the window for her to try escaping there again but the door had been broken and so was still unlocked, she was certain. She circled him until the door was to her left and Ganondorf to her right. Still trembling, she placed her hands over her heart and reached out with her mind towards the source of her magic.  
The three small golden triangles on the back of her right hand began to glow. Though the cuff on her wrist stopped her from using her power, it seemed she could still call her piece of the Triforce from the Sacred Realm to their world, creating a path for it that only she could reach. Once in their world she would be able to physically hold it in her hands and, like any other treasure, give it away if she so pleased. Light shone from every inch of her skin, the brightest point coming from her chest, and her long braided hair began to float around her shoulders. Ganondorf stared at her, eyes fixed on her Triforce marked hand, naked greed on his face. Slowly, she cupped her hands like she was cradling something precious to her chest. Zelda took one last deep breath, looking at the man who stood before her. Then she ran.   
Zelda launched herself towards the door and was past Ganondorf before he'd even realised what had happened. She was past the bed, across the room- then a solid weight knocked down. Ganondorf had pounced on her, slamming her to the floor before she could reach her freedom.   
"No!" Zelda screamed, her terror consuming her as she clawed at the floor trying to escape. He flipped her onto her back and she managed elbowed him across the face, but he barely seemed to notice, the pain only seeming to fuel his rage. She tried to gouge her nails into his eyes, but he had her trapped, wrists pinned again and useless.  
“You lying bitch!” Ganondorf bellowed, pounding his fist into her face. He hit her over and over, in her face, her ribs, her stomach. Zelda screamed in pain, her vision smeared with blood. He was so savage that she genuinely thought he was going to kill her. But before her body could stand no more, he grabbed her by the hair and dragged her onto the bed. There was no gloating this time, no tormenting: with one hand pinning her down by the throat, Ganondorf pushed her legs apart and forced himself inside her.   
Zelda threw her head back and let out an ear splitting scream as she felt something rip inside her. It didn't stop him though, as Ganondorf thrust himself deeper, deeper, until she thought she’d tear apart completely. He moved fast and uncaring, deaf to her cries and blind to her tears. His weight was crushing and she struggled to breathe, head spinning and throat raw. Zelda felt like she was dying and hoped she was. She had always been taught to fight but the pain, the humiliation, the violation of being raped was too much, and she genuinely prayed that Ganondorf would loose all control and snap her neck. Instead, he moved back until he was kneeling, pulling her along with him, slamming into her all the harder. His iron tight grip left gouges in her hips, dark bruises already forming in her pale skin. Above her, the image of his moaning, shuddering body with his head thrown back in ecstasy and mane of hair in wild disarray seared itself into her mind forever. It was a horror she could never forget.  
“Oh, Princess,” he groaned. “You feel so good, even better than I imagined! And you scream so sweetly, do it again. I said _scream_.”   
He punctuated the last word by grabbing her buttocks and pulling her hips higher. It angled him deeper and he thrust into her even harder, forcing another cry from her lips. He just laughed, “Yes, yes, scream for me, Princess!”  
Covering her face with her hands, Zelda cried. She tried to block it all out, his mocking laughter, his hands crushing her, his body invading hers, tried to sink into the sheets and disappear. But she couldn't hide from what was happening as he moved again, back on top of her as he ran his tongue up her stomach to her breasts. She shuddered and moaned in disgust but it didn't matter: nothing she did mattered now. His tongue ran around one breast in tight circles until he was sucking on her nipple, then bit down sharply. She screamed as she felt the skin tear, but he just licked the blood away.  
“I like the taste of fear on your skin,” Ganondorf said, moving his face up from her chest and lying back on top of her, his weight crushing her till she couldn't fully breathe. He licked up her neck, ignoring her tears. All the while the rhythm of his hips had not let up. “You taste as sweet as I’d hoped.”  
“P-please,” Zelda choked out. “Stop, please, just stop!”  
“Sorry, Princess, but I gave you the chance for your freedom, and you threw it back at me. You brought this on yourself. Besides, I'm being gentle. But maybe there is one thing that might make me feel more merciful.”  
“Anything!” She cried. “Please!”  
If he demanded the Triforce again, she knew she would hand it over. She wouldn't even hesitate. Zelda knew that she would doom the entire world just to make him let her go, and though it may have sickened her any other time, she truly didn't care at that moment.   
“Say my name, Princess,” he whispered in her ear.  
Swallowing the bile that rose to her throat, she stammered, “G-Gan…G-Ganon…”  
“Say it,” he demanded.  
“Ganon-”  
“Louder!” He was shouting now. “Scream it!”  
“ _Ganondorf!_ ”  
“Yes, yes!” He thrust into her harder with a groan, then laughed. “Again, Princess, I like the way that sounds.”  
Sobbing, Zelda couldn't do it. He was toying with her she knew, and going along with his demands would only humiliate and disgust her further. All hope had gone: she didn't try to beg anymore and she was too weak to keep fighting, so she gave up. She squeezed her eyes closed and clenched her jaw, trying to distance herself as she prayed it would be over soon. How long it lasted she couldn't tell. Ganondorf pulled, bit or scratched any part of her he found, all whilst still pounding into her with unrelenting force. Eventually, after forcing another cry from her lips by yanking hard on her braid, he increased his speed until his body shuddered and he threw his head back, practically roaring. Then his hips finally stilled and he just knelt over her, panting for breath. For a moment Zelda though he was going to collapse onto her, but to her relief he pulled away and fell to the bed beside her.   
Staring at the ceiling, Zelda just lie still, feeling strangely numb. Her heart still raced and her body still radiated pain, but her mind was blissfully empty and her tears had finally stopped. She glanced down at her body and saw a wreak. Her ribs were black with bruises and bite marks scattered her chest. Small splatters of blood were dotted across her torso and there was a larger smear across her inner thighs, along with something else her clouded mind refused to acknowledge. She knew her face and neck were just as bad, if not worse, but it didn't matter. Because it was finally over. Very carefully, she rolled onto her side, facing the wall and curled up as small as possible. Behind her, Ganondorf lie breathing hard for what felt like an eternity, before she finally felt him climb off the bed and leave her.  
_It's over,_ she told herself, mind still numb. _He's gotten what he wanted, and now he’ll leave. And hopefully never come back._  
Zelda's mind ran in circles, replaying what had happened to her, trying and struggling to process it. She just couldn't understand, why had this happened? How had this man managed to attack her home so completely, and why had he been allowed?  
“Goddess Hylia, hear my prayers,” she began to whisper, hugging her knees to her chest. “Guide me and bless me with the wisdom to understand your plans. Please, just tell me _why_? Why did this happen? Why did you let this monster h-hurt me?” Her voice cracked, and a few tears escaped. “Was this a test? Would another person have given up the Triforce to him? Or was this a punishment? I didn't understand those dreams until it was too late, but I see now they were a warning. I was too stupid, too blind to see what they really meant. I-I’m sorry! Goddess, please forgive me for not understanding, I should have know exactly who that beast was meant to be the moment I saw it.”  
Taking a shaky breath, Zelda wiped her eyes. “Hylia please, just send me a sign, any-”  
“What did you just call me?” A deep voice behind her growled.  
A spike of adrenaline shot through her and Zelda jumped up. Behind her, Ganondorf stood at the edge of the bed, a shocked and enraged expression on his face. He was still naked, but the smears of her blood that had been on his dark skin were gone and his hair had been tamed back away from his face once more. Dread coiled in her stomach as she realised he hadn’t left her, he’d simply gone into her bathroom to clean himself. Grabbing her by her already bruised neck, he dragged her over till their faces were inches apart.   
“What did you call me?” He said, speaking slowly and pronouncing each word clearly so she wouldn't misunderstand. “Because it sounded like you just called me a _beast_!”  
Eyes widening in horror, Zelda knew she had made a terrible mistake. The word ‘beast’ had often been used as a slur against the Gerudo people, one she had heard fairly often in her court even after her father, the Hylian King, had spoken out against its use. She had never used it before, agreeing that using such words to describe other people would do nothing to help the rift between the two cultures, and that it went completely against everything she believed in.  
“That’s- that's not what I meant!” Her voice was already raw after being strangled earlier, and fear made it sound even weaker. A wash of renewed terror hit her, shattering the almost peaceful numbness that had clouded her thoughts moments before. “Please, I didn't mean it like that! I-I didn't-”  
Her words were cut off in a choke as Ganondorf crushed her throat, snarling at her.  
“You really are a stuck up little cunt, aren't you?!” He bellowed. “You want to see a real beast? I'll show you one!”  
In one swift movement he flung her back onto the bed so she landed on her front. Zelda coughed, struggling for breath again, still processing what was happening as he shoved her head down. Then he was between her legs again, pulling her hips up to his.   
_You idiot!_ She screamed at herself. _This nightmare had almost been over, he’d been so close to leaving. Why couldn't you keep your foolish mouth shut?!_  
When he forced himself inside her again Zelda couldn't even bring herself to scream. In her weakened state all she could do was give a pain-filled sob. It was too much on her damaged body, not to mention her mind, and she felt like she was literally going to break. Earlier, she hadn't believed him when he said he was being gentle, but she'd been wrong. The first time had virtually been the love-making she had secretly fantasied about compared to this. Ganondorf acted like the beast she’d named, nails drawing blood as he held her hips, slamming into her with all his power. He didn't try to humiliate her this time, didn't bother touching the rest of her. Like an animal he used her, blind to all but his own pleasure. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, he forced her head further down, nearly cutting off her air as he pulled her hips higher. This let him thrust deeper inside her, to her absolute limit, and Zelda let out a scream that was muffled by the pillows. He grunted above her, pleased with her sounds of distress. Changing his mind about the new position, he seized her braid again, and dragging her up until her back met his chest and she was kneeing over him, sitting on his lap. The fist in her hair jerked her head to the side then she felt sharp teeth sinking into her neck. Skin broke and blood ran down her throat. Crying out, Zelda tried to push him off, her hand finding Ganondorf’s jaw and digging her nails into his skin as she tried to crawl at his eyes again. She heard him grunt in pain as his skin broke beneath her nails, his blood running down her fingers. He released her neck and caught her hand in his fist.  
Then something unexplainable happened. As their hands touched a jolt of power burst between them, running along her arm and spreading throughout the rest of her body in wash of warmth. The golden Triforce on the back of Ganondorf’s hand shone in bright relief against his skin, and the light shinning between his fingers told Zelda her own mark was doing the same. She gasped in surprise, pulling her hand away. Offering no resistance, he let her hand go. He seemed to be mirroring her shock as he had stopped moving completely. Was it possible that he had also felt that same strange sensation?  
“What did you do?” She rasped, her voice damaged and raw.   
Ganondorf didn't reply, staring at her hand, frowning deeply. Touching her hand again, that strange sensation struck her once more. It was like being washed with power, warm, bright and pleasurable, like nothing she had ever felt before. She found herself arching her back and behind her Ganondorf groaned in her ear. Taking her hand in his, he began to move again, and Zelda gasped. To her horror, it was starting to feel good: the strange power coupled with his movements building in a rhythm that took her breath away. Frantically, she tried to snatch her hand back, but he held onto it with crushing force.   
“S-stop! Let me go!” She cried out, starting to panic. After everything that had happened to her, to let this monster make her feel pleasure whilst he raped her would be the ultimate shame and betrayal.   
“Why, Princess? Are you starting to enjoy yourself?” The mockery in his voice cut right to her core, and more tears fell from her eyes. “Didn't I promise you’d enjoy it? Relax, and soon you'll be begging me for more.”  
As he gave a deep, hard thrust a moan escaped her lips before she could stop it, a sensual noise she had never made before. She could feel Ganondorf’s laughter then shame, loathing and rage, both at him and her own betraying body, overwhelmed her. With all her waning strength, Zelda tried to rip her hand away from his grip. His hand clenched hers all the harder, until felt like her bones would snap. But the pain cut through her, clearing her mind from the false pleasure that had been forced upon her. Zelda saw no other option now: she had to embrace the torment, use the pain to save herself from whatever power was connecting them, and just pray that it was over soon. Struggling, she kept trying to pull her hand from his with all her might. Ganondorf didn't let her go, of course, and hadn't stopped moving, his thrusting hips taking on an increased depth and speed. His grip on her hand tightened crushingly as she tried to break free, until a fresh agony ripped through her and she heard the crack of her bones. Everything became distorted, like something had knocked her from her own body. Distantly, she heard Ganondorf cry out in release, but her own screams filled her ears as the world went black.


	2. Imprisonment

Pain was the first sensation to pull Zelda from the depths of sleep. It started as a general dull throbbing from the whole of her body, but the more she awoke the more intense it became. This in itself wasn't terribly unusual, though not exactly common. Impa often made Zelda train in hand-to-hand combat and was not afraid to use all her skills. She was probably the only person in the whole palace who wouldn't hold back against a member of the royal family, and though she had passed many of her skills onto Zelda, she had a lifetime of training and experience in battle that made her deadly force. But this amount of pain was excessive, even if Impa did often push Zelda to her limits. Impa had been training her for years so Zelda was certainly no pushover, and Impa wasn't the kind of person to do something that wasn't strictly necessary. Beating someone she was meant to be teaching was not her mentor’s style. So why did Zelda’s body ache so much? Her face was throbbing and her chest hurt with every breath. Worse though was between her legs, which ached fiercely in a way she couldn't understand. Her lips tasted like blood, and when Zelda tried to touch them agony shot through her hand. Hissing in pain, she tried to look at it, and found she could only open one eye. The hand was swollen, bruised and she couldn't move her fingers. It was broken, she realised. And it was broken because…  
The assault of memories struck her like a physical blow and the whole nightmarish ordeal washed over her at once. Adrenaline burst in her blood but Zelda froze, not daring to move an inch. Because now she realised she could hear someone breathing heavily behind her.   
_Oh sweet Goddess, he’s still here!_  
She bit down onto her already bloody lip to stop herself from panicking. What should she do? Would he wake if she tried to run? Would he attack her again if she stayed? Would help come if she screamed? Zelda already knew the answer to that last question: no. No help was coming, not now and maybe not ever. She remembered what he’d told her: her people were either dead or in chains, her father was imprisoned and Impa had run. Zelda was alone, and besides it was too late for anyone to save her now.   
Before she could make her choice, Ganondorf put his arm around her waist and pulled her back into his chest. Zelda barely managed not to scream, lying still, body tensed, preparing to fight again if need be but knowing it wouldn’t make a difference. Nuzzling his face into her neck, Ganondorf made a content, tired noise.  
“Good morning, Princess,” he murmured, the sleep in his voice doing nothing to mask the smugness. “I must thank you for the good night’s rest. It's been a long time since I've slept so well and had someone so lovely to keep me company.”  
Zelda couldn't have responded even if she’d wanted to. Mouth dry and heart racing, all she could do was lie trapped in his arms, frozen in terror, and wait for his next attack.   
“What, not even a kiss for your lover? You are too cruel, Princess,” he taunted.   
She wanted to scream, wanted to rage, kick and bite, to shove aside her fear and get revenge on the man who had violated her. But she remembered the way he had utterly snapped over a mere word, the way he had laughed at her tears, the way he had used her and nearly broken her completely. She remembered wanting to die, and wished that she had, wished that it had been her neck he had crushed instead of her hand. So she did nothing, not daring to move. Behind her, Ganondorf sighed.  
“As much as I'd love to stay, I have a brand new kingdom to run.” Snapping her head around, Zelda finally looked at him. Horror filled her: what was he going to do to the palace? How was he going to hurt her people?   
“Oh don't worry, Princess, I'll be back,” he grinned at her, taking a hold of her swollen cheek. She gritted her teeth against the pain. “Perhaps tonight.”  
Shuddering at the thought of having to go through everything for a second night, Zelda had to close her eyes in terror and breathe deeply to stop from crying. Laughing, Ganondorf grabbed her by the jaw and forced a hard kiss onto her split lips. Zelda gasped but then he was gone. He climbed out of the bed, letting the sheets fall carelessly. He was heedless of his naked state and Zelda had to turn away before the memories of the previous night overwhelmed her. Wrapping the bedsheets around herself, taking what little protection the thin cotton could offer, she curled up as small as possible and waited for her assailant to leave. When she heard the sound of two heavy boots walk towards the bed and stop next to her, she dared look up. He was fully clothed again, his dark armour shining and spiked crown atop of his thick copper hair. He looked the same as she had seen him many times before, but Zelda knew she would never see him in the same way again.  
“Farewell, Princess. I will give you this time to think over what you want the rest of your life to be like, and consider last night a warning next time you think of trying to cross me. I will see you soon, I promise.”  
Then he was gone, walking out of her rooms without so much as glancing over his shoulder. The doors closed with a loud final slam.   
For a long time, Zelda just lie curled up under the bed sheets and stared into nothing. Her mind span in a whirlwind of memories and images of the night before, jumbled and broken. She felt curiously out of touch with herself, mind and body feeling almost numb. When she remembered what had happened to her only a few hours before it was like remembering the events of a story. It couldn’t have been real, couldn’t have happened to her. It had to have been someone else, some other poor woman who’d had her virginity stolen, who had been beaten and raped, someone else who was now a prisoner with no way to treat her injuries, someone else who was bloodied and broken, who might even be-  
With a jolt Zelda sat up. Oh sweet Goddess- what if he’d gotten her _pregnant_? The mere thought of having to carry and birth the child of that monster made her sick to her stomach. She darted out of bed towards the bathroom, only to collapse to the floor when her legs gave out. The movement had sent a fresh burst of pain throughout her body, and she cried out as she fell and landed hard. Not letting herself stop, she dragged herself to her feet and limped shakily to the bathroom. The pain between her legs built into a fresh agony, and she felt blood beginning to run down her thighs again. But she refused to stop until she collapsed to her knees in front of a cupboard and hastily began throwing out jars as she searched. She could only use her left hand, and she kept the other broken hand cradled to her chest. Glass shattered around her but she didn't stop until she found it: a fist sized bundle of dried herbs wrapped in thick cloth and tied closed with twine. There was a note attached, written in Impa’s steady hand.  
_Add a large pinch to boiling water, brew for five minutes then drink it all - use wisely, this is for emergencies only._  
Bless Impa and her brutally honest way of looking at the world. She was more than a mere mentor to Zelda, she was the closest thing Zelda had to a mother after the Queen had died during Zelda’s early childhood, and had taught her far more than just how to fight. Impa had helped raise her along with her father, but unlike her father hadn't shielded away from all the harsh realities of life and so hadn't let Zelda hide from them either. When she had been fifteen Zelda had fallen for the son of a courtier, a sweet boy with a ready smile and easy laugh, and he had liked her back. Whether her father had been simply ignorant to this attraction or had deliberately chosen to turn a blind eye to the fact that his little girl wanted her first kiss and more, Zelda couldn't be sure. But it didn't matter, because Impa had realised and stepped in explaining everything to Zelda in tragic detail, leaving zero questions about what to expect during sex and childbirth, and how exactly to be safe. Then she had pressed this bundle into Zelda’s hands ‘just in case’. It had been one of the most embarrassing lectures the teen-aged princess had ever been given, but if she could have seen Impa again she would have fallen to her knees and apologised profusely for any and every bad thing she had ever thought about her lectures. Staring at the herbs in her hand, Zelda remembered the boy she had fallen for. She remembered her first kiss, standing under a tree in the gardens one summer as the sun had shone down on them. They had both been bashful, and he’d apologised after, his handsome face turning slightly red, but she had enjoyed it. His mouth had been a little clumsy, but his lips had been soft, and she had felt excitement waring with nerves as she had kissed him back. She had been happy that day, had felt safe in his arms. But the memory of being trapped in another man’s arms, his mouth invading hers, smothered all other thoughts. Gripping the small bundle of herbs, Zelda pulled herself up and moved as fast as her injuries would let her. Using a tea cup left over from the night before and water from the sink as hot as she could get it, she followed Impa’s instructions and prayed she had made it right.  
Thinking of Impa made Zelda’s heart twist. Could she really have run, leaving Zelda to be taken captive? Or had she been killed? Zelda didn't know which was worse. Impa was smart, resourceful and could fight her way out of anything. The moment the Gerudo troops broke into the palace it would have been her first priority to get to Zelda…wouldn't it? She wasn’t the kind of woman who wore her heart on her sleeve, but Zelda knew Impa loved her, just as much as Zelda loved her back. She was the daughter Impa had never had, so why wasn't she here? Why had she left Zelda to this fate?   
“Goddess Hylia, hear my prayers. Has Impa abandoned me? Have you abandoned me too? Please just let me know, am I truly alone? I’m just one person, I cannot do this by myself. Please don't leave me here, a prisoner to that- that monster! Please, I beg you Goddess: free me from him and I will do anything you bid. If it is my life you ask, I give it gladly. Just send me a sign.”  
But once more nothing happen.   
The sense of utter abandonment left her hollow. Though she had never told anyone, Zelda had actually spoken to the Goddess Hylia once, when Zelda had awakened to the power of the Triforce. She had dedicated her life as a child to study and worship and had been rewarded at the tender age of only ten years old by meeting a woman with such painful beauty she hadn’t even seen human. It was the only time Zelda had ever heard her Goddess’s voice, but it had proved Hylia was watching them all. And yet, she had let this happen, let Zelda’s world be torn to pieces. Why? Had she done something to upset Hylia? Zelda was beginning to think she may never know.  
The tea was bitter and burning on her split lip. Zelda’s stomach gave a nauseating roll, but she forced herself to drink it in one painful swallow, dregs and all. Then she crawled into the empty bathtub, turned on the taps and slowly filled it with blisteringly hot water. Grabbing a bar of soap, she began scrubbing her arm until her skin was red raw. She didn't stop, just moved onto the next body part. Soon the water reached her collar bones and had turned pink from the blood. Zelda turned off the tap, lie back in the water, and finally cried. She sobbed hard, hiding her face in her hands as her chest heaved. She was ruined, tainted, trapped with the monster who had done this to her and seemed to intend to keep her like some sort of plaything. And even if he didn't, even if he never so much as looked at her again, it would be too late. As far as Hylian culture was concerned she was damaged goods, having lost her virginity to a man before marriage. The fact that she had been raped wouldn't make a difference: her virtue was gone, be it given or stolen, and that was all anyone would care about for a woman, especially royalty. She had thought about her future wedding night before, what woman wouldn't, and though she’d had a few secret fantasies about the man who would one day be her husband, she had been realistic. She had never expected to fall in love, no matter what she might dare to dream, but she had hoped she would be able to find a friend, someone who cared for her and respected her as she would him. But now no-one would have her if they knew she was impure. She might be able to hide her missing virtue, but if she was forced to bare her rapist’s child she would have no hope.  
She cried until she had no more tears left to shed, feeling completely hollowed out. After staring at the ceiling for what felt like hours, Zelda dragged her eyes to the cuff on her left wrist. It was made of copper, with strange symbols carved into it. They weren't Gerudo as far as she could tell, but seemed to be some other, more ancient language she couldn't read. Despite the gap running down the length of it where it lay against her inner wrist, it refused to budge. It was tight against her wrist, like it had been fused to her skin, and wouldn't move even an inch as she tried in vein to pry it off using the fingers of her broken hand. Closing her eyes, Zelda felt for her magic. This time she went slowly, carefully reaching down inside herself to the power within and gently testing the wall that surrounded it, cutting her off. Pain struck her again the instant she even thought about using her magic, but this time it was a slow dull throb that reverberated through her skull rather than the sudden assault she had experienced last time. She examined the wall carefully, prodding with her mind trying to find even the smallest crack she could use to break through. But it was no use: it was sealed tight and the pain grew with each passing moment till she was forced to drop her hold. She had no idea how something like this was even possible, especially since she had the power of the Triforce. This was dark magic, evil and ancient, she knew and the thought of something like that being used on her made her skin crawl. She wished she could just cut her arm off. Her magic might not be strong enough to grow back a limb but she'd be able to heal the wound, and at this point it was something she would be willing to sacrifice. But she had nothing here that would work: no swords, no daggers, not even a pair of scissors. She was truly trapped; she wasn't strong enough to stop a man who had literally crushed her bones with a single hand, and her one possible advantage, her magic, had been blocked from her.  
Zelda felt so desolate she slid under the water and wanted nothing more than to never surface. She grabbed the edge of the tub with her one working hand, gripping hard as she forced her head to stay under, wanting the sweet release of death to take her, to be free of the life of torment she knew she was now doomed to. But as her lungs burned for breath, an image of her father came to mind. What would he say if he knew she had given up so quickly when he had always taught her to be strong? And what would Ganondorf do to him if he found her dead by her own hand? She wouldn't put it past him to punish her father for her own actions. Pulling herself out of the water, Zelda took a deep shaky breath. She decided she wouldn't do anything until she saw her father again.  
The bath water had begun to turn cold, so she emptied and refilled it, scrubbing herself hard again. It hurt to touch almost any part of her body, but she needed to get the feeling of his hands off her. It wasn't easy, using only one hand since the other was a swollen mass of bruised skin. She knew the bones were broken, having both felt and heard them snapping the night before. The memory made her shudder and she knew it was something that would always stay with her. What she couldn't understand was what exactly had happened. A flash of power, the mark of the Triforce glowing on both their skin, and that feeling of intense and sudden pleasure. What could it mean? Why was it only when their marked hands had touched but no other skin to skin contact? His hands had been all over her, if anything else could have caused that feeling it would have happened before then. Being a Triforce bearer was still mostly a mystery to all, even Zelda herself, so she would likely never truly understand it. The feeling between them had been indescribable, something Zelda had never felt before. But the last thing she wanted was for that monster to make her feel pleasure. Sadly, she knew it wasn't something he would forget about.   
Though she managed to clean the blood off her torso and thighs, Zelda barely dared to touch the mess between her legs. It was far too painful and she had no idea how bad it was. She had felt herself tearing, seen her virgins blood and more smeared across her skin, but she couldn't tell the extent of the damage. Would she need stitches, or would it heal by itself, like nothing had ever happened? Somehow she doubted the latter. She knew she had no way of telling how badly injured she was, and unless she got some serious medical treatment she may end up with several scars. The tea she had taken earlier was causing her whole lower abdomen to cramp, like her insides were being slowly twisted in a vice, and she felt utterly miserable. She was beginning to regret not drowning herself in the bloody water…No, she couldn't think like that. She had to find some way to see her father, to make sure he was alive. And there had to be some way to save the kingdom. _Her_ kingdom: she was a princess and this was her responsibility. She had a duty to her people, and she couldn't doom them to a life under the Demon King’s rule.  
Not knowing what else to do, but certain that hiding in the water wasn't going to fix anything, Zelda carefully climbed out of the bathtub and covered herself in a large fluffy towel. She froze when she saw another towel on the floor where she missed it earlier, stained red with blood. He must have used it whilst she had been unconscious, cleaning her blood off his skin. It was an oddly intimate image that disgusted her all over again. Limping back into the bed chambers she saw more images like this. The damage to the door he had kicked open as he’d carried her inside. The tattered remains of the night gown he'd dropped after ripping it from her body. The blood on the bed sheets where he'd- Zelda swallowed and looked away. She wanted to burn those sheets.   
Clothing herself in a dress with ankle length skirts, long sleeves and a high neckline, Zelda moved as fast as she could, and felt a little better once she was covered. She had to forgo her usual corset, knowing her battered ribs couldn't handle it. Unable to stall any longer, she moved in front of her floor length mirror and surveyed the damage to her face. It was worse than she’d thought, even with the blood washed off. It was completely swollen down the left side, so much so that she still couldn't open her left eye, which was completely black. Her bottom lip had a large split that threatened to reopen every time she moved her mouth and several of her teeth felt loose. Her throat wore a dark ring of bruises like a morbid necklace that the collar of her dress couldn't quite hide, and a ring of small cuts marked the side where she had been bitten. Around her battered face her long blonde hair fell limply, no longer bloody but still fairly tangled. She hadn't wanted to touch it, unable to stop recalling the feeling of him grabbing it, pulling it as he dragged her onto the bed. She hated it now: she would have escaped if it hadn't been so long. Balling her one good hand into a fist, she had to fight the sudden and desperate urge to tear it all out by the handful. After closing her eyes and taking several deep breaths, she instead retrieved her hairbrush and began to carefully comb the knots out, though she had to leave it falling free down her back. As she finished her stomach gave another sickening lurch and caused her to stumbled forward a step. She let out a unsteady breath and told herself that the pain was worth it.   
Escape was unlikely, Zelda knew, but she had to do something, so she began to inspect the room that was now her prison. Without much hope, she limped to the doors. There was a large dent in one where Ganondorf had kicked it open, the wood looking like it would snap at any moment. Yet, when she ran her hand over the damage, it didn't budge, seeming as solid as the rest of the wood. The handles also wouldn't move, though the lock was open. The windows at the other side of the room had been shut since she had almost thrown herself out of them last night, and with little surprise she found they had also been locked tight and the handles unmovable. It was obvious to her that the whole room had been sealed with magic, trapping her inside like an animal in a cage with no chance of escape. Frustrated and scared, Zelda resorted to grabbing a nearby book and throwing it at the window. It bounced off the glass harmlessly, and Zelda sat down on the sofa heavily, face in her hand as she tried not to cry again. She had known she was trapped, but there had been a tiny spark of hope still inside her. Trying her hardest not to fall completely into despair as she felt that spark wither and die, Zelda held herself, waiting for her captor to return. What he would do with her then she couldn’t be sure, but she knew whatever it was would be torture. The only thing she could do now was wait.  
***  
The royal throne of Hyrule had been a tall imposing thing made of white marble, carved with intricate swirls and waves that held a golden Triforce just above the crown of the monarch who sat upon it. It had been huge, lavish, and despite everything it stood for, Nabooru had always found it to be rather beautiful. Sadly, at that moment it was being torn to pieces, dark magic ripping through it like a blade through paper. A chunk of stone flew towards her head as she walk out onto the podium of the throne room. She ducked easily, not breaking her stride. Ganondorf stood before the rubble surveying his work with a satisfied expression as the other Gerudo warriors were bowing before him. He was the king of the Gerudo desert, but to her he was still Ganon, her brother in all but blood, and she was never one to grovel and placate herself to authority.   
“Are you sure you’ve killed it?” She asked, sarcastically. “Look, I think I saw that piece move!”  
“I've always hated this thing,” he replied, not looking at her. “Excessive, tactless, ugly. It has stood as yet another symbol of an oppressive reign of selfish fools for far too long. How many men and women have sat here content whilst our people starve?”  
“So your plan was what exactly? Bash the Hyilan King’s skull in with this?” Nabooru picked up a large chunk of marble, casually tossing it up in the air with one hand and catching it again, other hand on her hip.  
Finally, Ganon turned to her, grinning broadly. “It wasn't but I like the irony.”  
“My skills as a warrior are wasted, I should’ve been a tactician. But let me guess, you want me to do the usual: stand and look menacing in the background whilst you terrify the huddled masses?”  
He frowned at her then.  
“Is this just another joke to you? I've had all the Hylians who survived the invasion rounded up and waiting outside. In a moment they'll be brought in and I will explain the terms of their capture. You and the other warriors are here as a show of force. They need to see complete and utter control, to crush any hopes of rebellion they might have before they begin. Surely you understand this?”  
Nabooru resisted rolling her eyes: he’d become so serious since they were kids. “Of course I know this, Gan- I mean, Your Majesty,” she quickly corrected herself as his frown deepened. “I was just joking. You don't need to worry about anything. I've had the Hylian King under lock and key all night, he's not going anywhere. I told him his daughter’s life depended on his good behaviour and that shut him up pretty quick. I’ve had a status report from the squadron leaders, and all the palace guards are dead. The only people left are the nobles and the servants. And that Sheikah woman is long gone, hasn't been seen since the moment she disappeared. She’s probably dead by now anyway. The healers have checked everyone, and we’ve had minimal losses. This invasion has gone better than we’d ever hoped. We’ve finally done it!”  
Nabooru’s smile wasn’t often described by others as bright - sarcastic or mischievous, maybe - but today it shone brighter than the desert sun, and even Ganon, who had seemed to be nothing but grim faced for the past few years, couldn't help but smile back at her at this statement. Because they had finally won, after generations of war and oppression, of being shunned and isolated to the desert, the Gerudo people had risen up and taken back what should have been theirs. Now they could tear down the old system of monarchs and build a future between the two nations as one people. No more starving and running from sandstorms, no more fear of war or poverty. They could build a new nation, a better nation, for everyone.  
“Oh this is just the start, Nabooru. We will get our revenge, then we will wipe Hyrule clean off the map. We’ll start over again, give our people the home we deserve.” Ganon clapped her on back and laughed. “But first I want to start by putting the fear of us into these snivelling Hylian cowards. You!” He barked at the other three Gerudo warriors standing behind Nabooru, “Get in position!”  
The other women snapped a hasty salute and moved swiftly to their posts, lining up on the podium behind their king, leaving a space for Nabooru.  
“You!” He snapped at the two women guarding the doors to the throne room. “Bring them in.”  
Moving to her own post, Nabooru watched as the people filed in through the doors. Every Hylian who had been in the palace during the battle had been forced here. Well, those who had survived, that was. They were herded in by a brigade of iron knuckles, enchanted suits of armour fuelled purely by magic. This had been the secret of their army’s success. The Gerudo were a small nation compared to Hyrule, and their army even smaller. Every Gerudo woman knew how to fight, but that didn't mean they were all warriors. The majority of their people had stayed behind in the desert, right by the boarder between the two nations, whilst the bulk of the army had taken these enchanted creatures with them on this invasion. They were the perfect solider in nearly every sense: they needed neither food nor water, they never tired or took injury. Though they weren't indestructible they were the closest thing to it Nabooru had ever seen. There weren't too many, since it took a lot of magic to control them, but Ganon was the bearer of the Triforce of Power, and the ones they brought had given them the advantage. Nabooru wasn't sure where he had discovered them, it was something he withheld from them all. Even the Gerudo Elders hadn't been told, and though they’d been mad as hell when he'd refused to answer their questions they eventually stopped trying. Ganon was their king, and that had been enough to stop them from forcing him to speak. Her king and the tribe elders had never yet come to serious blows and Nabooru did not want to be around when it finally happened.  
The Hylians who entered were a mix of servants and nobles, some looking terrified, others furious, but most wore a weary look of dread. Many clutched onto each other for comfort and support, not daring to get closer to the podium but being forced by the blades behind them. Ganon stood before them all, his expression back to the same satisfaction he'd worn when he destroyed the throne.   
“Greetings,” Ganon began, failing, or perhaps not trying, to keep the smugness out of his voice. “For those of you who do not know me, allow me to introduce myself: I am Ganondorf, leader of the Gerudo, bearer of the Triforce of Power, and your new king."   
He gave them a moment to exchange whispers and horrified glances, then began pacing along the podium.   
“I recognise several of you here, so called ambassadors and politicians. Some of you visited the desert on one of your previous king’s pathetic attempts for peace. Some I even allowed to return unharmed. Those who were smart enough to show proper respect, that is.” He paused for a moment, looking thoughtful. “Tell me, did the man I punished for foolishly trying to force his way into my city make it back alive?”   
Silence echoed in the room and her king just smirked. Nabooru remembered that man, some sneering embassy who had claimed not to understand what the word ‘no’ meant in both Gerudo and Hylian until he took a knife to the ribs for his trouble. To some that might have been enough, but when he had been dragged bleeding to the king and the Council of Elders, it was unanimously agreed that any Hylian who thought they could bully their way into their home would only understand a show of brutal force, and he was sent back out into the desert wound untreated and with no supplies to make his own way back to Hyrule. Nabooru wasn't a king nor was she experienced enough to be on the Council yet but she would have voted in exactly the same way.  
“What have you done with our king?” Came a voice from the crowd. It seemed at least one of these Hylians had some sort of back bone. “And our princess?"   
“They are alive and unharmed,” Ganon said dismissively with a wave of his hand. Then he paused and corrected himself. “Mostly unharmed."   
“Don’t lie!” That same voice, with more heat this time. “You beasts are renowned for your deception. Show us our king!"   
Nabooru winced inwardly at this. This idiot had made a big mistake, because if there was one thing her brother couldn't stand, it was being called a beast. Not that Nabooru could blame him, she been called it before too. It was a dismissive, derogatory slight that had been used against her people for centuries, comparing her people to wild animals since most of the women of the desert didn't adhere to the Hylian tradition of what a woman should be: meek, passive and silent. She had hoped that Ganon might have been given a little more respect by the virtue of being born a man, but sadly that was not the case. If Nabooru and the other Gerudo women were viewed as uncivilised beasts, then Ganon was seen as the most dangerous one.   
“Silence!” Ganon barked. Everyone stilled and the speaker made no effort to come forward.   
_Coward_ , Nabooru thought. _If you were going to make a true stand then don't hide your face in bloody crowd!_  
“I am your king now!” Ganon bellowed to the trembling masses. “And as your gracious ruler I give you this one chance: swear fealty to me or be destroyed. Daphnes will be handing over his crown to me tomorrow: you have until then to make your choice. I suggest you take this time to assess how much you value your lives. And if you don't believe me-”  
A figure from the crowd was suddenly dragged forward as Ganon raised his hand, magic wrapping the man in thick ropes of darkness and dropping him at the her brother’s feet. It was the person who had just called out, the moron who had called them ‘beasts’. Nabooru thought she recognised the Hylian man from a previous visit to the palace, though his name was lost to her. He was a short, stout, middle aged man with pale skin and dark thinning hair. He had a mousy, snivelling quality, but his deep blue robes were expensive, though now rumpled and torn from his capture. He was some sort of adviser to King Daphnes, she remembered now, and had often spoken out against the Gerudo, even against sending any form of aid. Without hesitation, Ganon reached down and snapped the man’s neck. Screams and shouts broke out from the crowd and even Nabooru flinched. She shouldn't have been surprised though: brutal but efficient, that was her brother.   
“Silence!” He bellowed again. He paused for a moment, seeming to be forcibly calming himself by taking a few deep breaths. The crowd of terrified onlookers obeyed, only the occasional muffled sob to be heard. “I give you this day to consider my generous offer. Choose wisely.”  
Then he turned without another word, ignoring the corpse crumpled on the podium and walked out of the throne room. Nabooru and the other three Gerudo warriors followed quickly after him, out of the side door and through the corridors until they reached the war rooms, which had now become their main base of operations. The rooms were vast and covered in various maps and reports with a grand looking table in the middle for meetings. There was an adjoining study with several bookshelves and a intricately carved oak desk that Ganon walked straight towards, ignoring the women who were currently discussing the next steps of their invasion, mainly what to do with all their new prisoners. Nabooru followed her brother’s example, also ignoring the other women and heading straight through the door into the study. Ganon frowned at her as he sat behind the desk, but said nothing.   
“Nice speech, nothing says ‘glorious leader’ like a dead body. And just leaving it there,” Nabooru kissed her fingers. “Inspired!”   
“Did you want something, Nabooru?” He growled at her.   
_Oh yeah, he is_ pissed _. That outburst from Lord What’s-His-Name must have really hit the mark._  
“Well the corpse did have one good point: where _is_ the Princess? I thought you were going to capture her and bring her to the dungeons like her father.”  
For a second Ganon just stared at her.   
“I was, but then I had a better idea. She’s been locked in her own rooms, away from her father. What could be more terrible, for the both of them, than not being able to see the other, not even knowing if the other is alive?”  
“Ah, ingenious,” Nabooru said, choosing her words carefully. “But I had a thought whilst I was watching Daphnes last night. He kept begging to see his daughter, kept asking if she was ok. He barely seemed to care about his own injuries. And I'm guessing that Princess Zelda was the exactly the same. Perhaps if we let them see each other they would both be more willing to co-operate with us.”   
“Yes…yes I think you might be right,” Ganon said, considering her words. “She wouldn't give the Triforce to me last night, not when it was her own life at stake, but dangle her father’s life in front of her and she’d hand it straight over.” He paused for a moment, thinking, then grinned at her. “Nabooru, I could kiss you.”  
“That's really not the incentive you think it is,” she replied, pulling a disgusted face. He laughed and continued.  
“Yes, all I need to do is bring the princess here, explain it’s her father’s life on the line, let her see the state he’s in down in the dungeons, and she’ll do anything I say…” Ganon mused, smiling slightly. Nabooru found herself looking away then, not wanting to see that smile but unable to say why. She had a sudden unsettling feeling, like something wasn't quite right.   
_You're doing it again, doubting him. Why? He's done everything he promised and more. He said he would save us and he has, so get a grip! What kind of sister are you?_  
This hadn't been the first time she had felt this unease around him, not since he had returned to her around three years ago after wandering into the Desert Wastes alone, but she refused to listen to those betraying, intrusive thoughts. His choices and actions had led them all here, and though his methods were often brutal she couldn't argue with the results, even if she admitted to herself and no-one else, that she wished it didn't have to come to this. But the Hylians had left them no choice; it was this or starve under the unforgiving desert sun. Ganon looked after his people just like he had sworn when they were still just children. With a renewed sense of determination Nabooru smiled at him and made her way to the door. She had duties to attend to as well, and she would do them to the best of her ability. She owed her brother nothing less.  
“Well, I'm glad you like my idea. I'll tell the old man he can relax about seeing his daughter, and you can make the princess an offer she can't refuse.”   
“Agreed. I need to speak with the Elders first, but I'll call her down in a couple of hours. You stay with him. I entrust his life to you, above all others. Do not let me down.”  
Nabooru turned and gave a exaggerated bow before opening the door. “My King, have I ever?”  
She closed the door before he could answer, but his laughter followed her out.   
_Smart-arse_ , she thought to herself.   
Before heading to the dungeons, Nabooru stopped at the kitchens, grabbing a meal for the Hylian King. No point in letting the old man starve, she reasoned. All the previous kitchen staff were gone, of course, and now it was being manned by a handful of Gerudo women who were making an inventory of all the food and splitting it into rations for each person in the palace. Their Hylian prisoners would get less than they probably expected but they weren't going to go hungry. It just wouldn't be the lavish parties and feasts they had grown accustom to. Nabooru just shook her head when she looked at all that food. It was more than her people would see for several seasons. True, there was more than normal as the palace had begun stock piling food for the winter, but it still seemed truly excessive to her. Choosing a simple meal of bread, cheese, and fruit, along with more water, Nabooru left for the dungeons with only a nod to her sister warriors. They returned the nod, not stopping in their work. Everyone in the tribe was used to Nabooru, who was brash and sarcastic but considered a loner. If it wasn't for the fact that she and their king had been raised together, she doubted she would have held such a high standing in the army.   
“Breakfast, Your Majesty,” Nabooru announced as she entered the dungeons and headed for the first cell. For a dungeon it could have been a lot worse, Nabooru mused. The cells were cramped, with only room for one cot inside each, but they were clean and even had a small barred window at the end to let in light. The old king however did not look so good. She knew he was only in his fifties, though the weight of responsibility as a monarch of such a large kingdom had always aged him, but now after seeing his home invaded and being captured himself, he looked nearly twenty years his senior. Normally a tall, broad shouldered man with pale Hyilan skin and a large white beard to match his thick shoulder length hair, he now seemed deflated as he sat on the narrow wooden cot resting his elbows on his knees and staring at the floor. Though still wearing a fine red coat, a silk shirt of pure white, and a pair of deep blue trousers, his golden crown had been taken from him when he was first captured, and his usually impeccable clothing was now torn and rumpled. As he looked up, she could see he also was sporting a black eye and there was blood in his usually trim beard, but it was the harrowing look of despair he gave her that caused Nabooru to feel a twinge of guilt.  
“Where is my daughter?” He begged as soon as he saw her, getting to his feet and walking to the bars. “Please, you said she would be brought here too. Is she hurt? Is she even still alive? Please, just let me see her, let me know that she is well. It is all I ask of you.”  
“She’s fine, I promise,” Nabooru tried to sound reassuring, but wasn't quite sure she managed it. “She’s been locked in her rooms. I know I said she would be brought here, but I'm afraid my king decided it would be more of a punishment to keep you two apart. I'm sorry,” she added when she saw Daphnes’ clench his jaw.   
“That bastard,” he muttered. Nabooru couldn't help but raise an eyebrow in shock. She hadn't thought this refined and dignified man capable of swearing. “He knows exactly how to hurt me. Have you seen Zelda yourself? Can you truly promise me she is alive and unharmed?”  
“I haven't seen her, no,” she admitted. “But I can promise she is alive and unharmed. My king would never kill her.”  
The Hylian King scoffed at this, turning away.  
“It’s true, he needs her alive. She does have a piece of the Triforce after all.”  
Daphnes sighed. “I will concede to that much, but can you truly believe he left her unharmed? She would never give in to him, especially with the Triforce. And you believe he would merely _ask_ her for it?”  
Turning around to face her again, Nabooru saw a look of terror on the old man’s face.   
“Please, tell me: what has he done to my Zelda?”  
Guilt twisted in her gut, stronger this time, as she saw the love Daphnes clearly held for his daughter. At that moment he wasn't the king of an entire nation, wasn't the leader of the people who had fought against hers in a long and bloody war that had lasted decades and killed countless on each side. He was just a father who wanted nothing more than to see his child, to make sure she was safe.   
“I know what you think of us, that we’re all savage and blood-lusting. But we’re just people, like you. And my king may be harsh in some of his methods, but please trust me when I say he is no monster.”  
“You truly believe that?” Daphnes asked, holding her gaze with his own. She saw strength and determination there despite everything that had happened to him, and couldn't help but feel a certain respect for this man.  
There was a slight hesitation to Nabooru’s answer, as that troublesome sense of unease and doubt still hadn't completely left her, but now was not the time to voice her concerns, especially not to this man. So she held his gaze and spoke with a confidence she didn't entirely feel.  
“I truly do.”  
The Hylian King let out a deep sigh, turning his back to her again and slumping against the bars of his cell.   
“Very well. I guess I can do nothing else but trust your judgement.”   
There was an awkward pause as Nabooru pushed his tray of food through the small gap at the bottom of the bars, then he spoke once more.  
“I do not believe that, just so you know. That your people are savage, I mean. I have met with many fine Gerudo woman, such as yourself. Strong, proud and fierce. I honestly did believe there could be peace between our people. But that king of yours is something else entirely.”  
“I know you don't think like that,” Nabooru answered, ignoring the comment about her leader and friend. She wasn't lying: she had heard Daphnes speak to both her people and his own, arguing for peace and acceptance between them both. “This was never anything personal. Honestly, I thought you had some pretty good ideas.”  
“Not good enough,” Daphnes sighed, sliding down the bars until he was sitting on the floor, reluctantly reaching for the food and eating it slowly. “I know I am in no position to make any sort of demand from you, and I appreciate that you have been beyond civil to me, even compassionate giving the circumstances. In fact, I would say that compared to a lot of people with this kind of power over their enemies you have been kind. But I ask this one thing of you: convince your king to let me see my daughter. Please, let me see Zelda, even if it is just the one last time.”  
“What makes you think it'll be the last time?”  
There was a long pause before Danphnes answered her.  
“I know I am never going to leave this cell alive. Ganondorf holds me personally responsible for the decades of problems between our countries. I will not claim complete innocence on behalf of Hyrule, but I am just one man, king or not, and many of these issues existed long before I took the throne. Still, it is easier for him to lay the blame solely at my feet. Now he has managed to imprison me I expect a very public execution to follow soon. Before that I wish to hold my daughter in my arms, one last time.”  
Sighing, Nabooru ran a hand over her face. Damn it all if this old man didn't know how to tug on her heart strings.   
“Alright. I will try my hardest. But I'm afraid that's all I can promise. He doesn't listen to many people, but he usually listens to me.”  
“Thank you. You have my gratitude.”  
_Not much I can do with that now_ , she thought as she turned and walked out of the dungeons, determined to find Ganon and convince him to let the Hylian King meet with his daughter as soon as she could. True, he might not listen, but maybe she could loosen the knot of guilt in her stomach.


End file.
